Foldable basketball goal construction



May 13,.1952 5. FOX

FOLDABLE BASKETBALL GOAL CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 14, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET g JNVENTOR. 54 a 5/7/71/64 FOX, 2 t? a May 13, 1952 5. FOX 2,596,543

FOLDABLE BASKETBALL GOAL CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 14, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE BASKETBALL GOAL CONSTRUCTION 5 Claims.

This invention relates to basketball goals, and has for its object the provision of a basketball goal construction which is collapsible so that it may be packaged in a relatively thin box, thus saving storage and shipping space as well as ef fecting economies in cost of packaging, the collapsibility not affecting its sturdiness, nor its ability to be readily, instantly, and precisely installed at the necessary horizontal level for play.

Other objects of my invention include a basketball goal construction which is strong and sturdy, the goal ring of which is supported in definite and certain horizontal position in relation to the floor of the field of play and perpendicularly with respect to the backboard in rightangled relationship without the necessity for adjustment; the provision of a basketball goal construction which includes in combination with a goal ring, a hinge having legs that collapse in fiat or substantially flat form when in packaged condition, and a supporting brace pivotally mounted and capable of being positioned in the plane and space of the goal ring and in the plane of the collapsed hinge when in packaged condition; a basketball goal construction having a collapsible hinge support and associated brace or strut, the hinge having an abutment or stop thereon for positioning and/or support of the brace in certain and definite position to maintain the legs of the hinge positioned to provide a right angle between said hinge legs at all times without adjustment; all of which are hereinafter described and claimed.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings showing my invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a goal construction in its assembled condition during a basketball contest or play;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the construction of Figure 1 in assembled condition supported on the backboard;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the goal construction of Figure 1 in collapsed condition ready for packaging, or just removed from a package;

Figure 4 is a view in vertical cross-section of the construction of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail cross-sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the backboard attaching leg of the hinge element shown in the other figures;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a goal construction showing a modification with the pivotal mounting of the brace, strut or bracket support on a hinge element.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a goal construction showing a modification with the pivotal mounting of the support on the goal ring.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the mounting means of the construction shown in Figure 8, with the support removed.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 4 of a form of construction that folds or collapses to a flatter position than the form shown in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, numeral l is the ring of a basketball goal to which the usual net is attached. The ring I is welded to the outer end of the leg 4 of the hinge 5, the leg 6 of the hinge having apertures or holes I therein for the reception of nails, screws or bolts 8 for attachment of the hinge to the backboard 9. The leg 6 of the hinge is provided with a stop or abutment l0, which abutment is a positioning and/or supporting base for the brace or support II, the latter having a curled end l2 passing around the ring I and forming a pivotal mounting for the brace support thereon. The leg 4 of the hinge has a cut-out portion l3, thus providing space for the pivotal movement of the brace H and curled end I 2 around the ring I. The lower end of the element II is bent at M to form a vertically disposed portion l5 having a surface adapted to lie flush against the leg 6 of the hinge when the vertically disposed portion is in contact with the stop Ill. The portion [5 is provided with an aperture 23 to receive a bolt I6 whereby the support is securely fastened to the leg 6 by tightening the nut l1, the bolt extending through the aperture [8 (see Figure 6) of the hinge leg 6 and having its head bevelled so that the face of the bolt does not protrude beyond the outer flat surface of the hinge leg 6 when the said surface is in aflixed contact with the backboard.

In the modification shown in Figure 7, the curled end l2 of the support II is not pivotally mounted directly upon the ring I, but instead is pivotally mounted or hinged on a pin H! which extends through a curled portion 20 of the extremity of the hinge leg 4, and which curled portion is welded at 2| to the outer peripheral surface of the ring I along an interrupted arc thereof.

In the modification shown in Figures 8 and 9,

the curled portion [2 of the support H encircles and is pivotally mounted upon an undercut portion of the ring I, so that the curled end forms a part of the ring without protruding in the internal area thereof. Figure 9 shows the undercut portion 22 at the two contiguous ends of the ring I adjacent to the space H of the hinge leg 4, which leg is attached to the ring I at its outer periphery as shown in Figure 1.

in the form of the invention shown in Figure 10, the backboard attaching leg is shorter than the leg 6 shown in Figure 4, with a correspond'-' ingly shorter brace member ll than shown in Figure 4, whereby the right-angled relationship of the hinge legs is maintained when the construction is attached to the backboard. Figure thus presents a construction wherein the hinge legs fold or collapse to a flatter position than the construction shown in Figure 4'. Ob viously, the modifications shown in Figures '7 and 8"may' be provided either with the hinge le 6 as shown in Figure 4, or' with the shortei' hinge' leg shown in Figure 10' that folds to flatter forth;

In operation of the devices disclosed and 665- scribed herein, the goal is packed for storing or shipping in substantially fia-t form as snows iri Figures 3, 4 and 10; When it is sold,- the per:- chaser installing the goal opens the legs 4 arid- 5' of the hinge 5 and moves the supporting strut or brace H rotatably on its pivot until the end [5 thereof meets the face of the hinge leg '6 and contacts the topside of the stop or abutment l0, and is thus accurately positioned. The bolt I5 is inserted in the hole I8 of the leg 6, and passed through the hole 23 of the support II, the leg 6 and support I I being secured together by tightening the but i? on the threaded end of the boltlt; The goal thus assembled- (with the usual ba'sk'et ball net thereon) is-th'en securely fastened to the backboard 9 by applying nails, screws or bolts through the holes 1 of the hinge 16g 6. In case the basketball goal is to be removed to another locality, the assembled goal is removed from the backboard, the nut l1 and bolt l6 are removed,- the support I iis moved rotatably on its pivot to enter the internal space of the ring I,- a-nd the leg Bof the hinge is collapsed to parallel or substantially parallel relationship with the hinge leg 4;

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of the stop or abutment I D, shown 7 in detail in Figure 6. This abutment is so located on the hinge leg 6 that when the end ii: of the support H contacts the top surface thereof,- a right angle is forrhed between the hinge legs 4 and t; In other words, the location of the abut= ment on the hinge leg 6 is predetermined so that I when the upport H is positioned thereon, the

hinge leg 4 and the goal ring I fixedly secured to the leg will always assume a position normal or perpendicular to the backboard without the need of extraneous precise measuring or adjusting; In

this way, the assembled goal is assured of being a in the proper horizontal or level position relatively to the floor or court for basketball play. The abutmentor stop i6 functions as a base for supporting the support member I! thereon sturdily and positively in conjunction with the securin bolt s and nut :1 when the latter is tightened; As shown in Figure 6, the abutment It is formed integrally with the hinge leg (5 by bending a pertionoi the same upwardly. However, it is obvl o'u's that the abutment or stop Ii! may be separately secured to the leg 6, r I

From the above description, it will be observed that I have provided a basketball goal that is economical to manufacture, has no loose unreplaceable essential parts that may be lost, is strong and sturdy to withstand hard usage during play, is always assured of being in proper horizontal or level assembled position for play, and is collapsible in compact and flat or substantially fiat form for economy of space in packaging, storing and shipping. It is obvious that a smaller be)? for packaging is a further economical advantage.

The goal ring supporting bracket as described and shown herein composed of the legs 3 and 6 or the hinge together with the brace element H thus defines two foldable end elements 6 and H and intermediate element 4.

Various modifications will suggest themselves within. the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited as to any specific construction, except as defined in the appended claims.-

A basketball goal construction consisting of a; scarring and a supporting bracket therefor, the" bracket bein formed of two end elements interm'diate element, said goal ring being r 15; cc ne'cted to one end of said intermediate element in the plane thereof, said end elements respectively being foldable at the respective ends of the intermediate element and adapted to form with said intermediate element a right triangle, and means at the juncture of the end elements adapted to interengage' to maintain the triangular formation.

2 a basketball goal construction, a goal ring and a supporting foldable bracket therefor, said bracket consisting of a hinge element having a pair of legs hingedly connected to each other and a support element,- a first leg" being fixedly secured to the goal ring in the plane thereof, a second leg for fasteningthe goal to a backboard, the first leg having acut-out portion adjacent said goal ring and defining an enclosed space therewith, said support elementhaving one end thereof pivota'lly mounted on said goal ring and rotatable' in said enclosed space when in non-secured position, the second leg having an abutment thereon, the support element being'detach-ably secured at its other end to said second leg adjacent said abutment, the. legs of the hinge element being foldable to approach the plane ofthe goal iing, a rid the support element being rotatable to lie within the goal ring to provide a substantially fiat formfor packaging and shipping.

3. In a basketball goal construction, a goal ring, a supporting ioldable bracket therefor, said bracket consisting of two members hingedly connected together and defining a hinge member having a pair of legs anda brace support, one of said hinge legs having at its outer end a curled portion, the goal ring being secured to said hinge leg adjacent to said curled portion and in the plane thereof, a pintle in said curled portion, said brace support having one end pivotally mounted on said pintle, the other of said hinge legs having 11 "butinent thereon, the brace support being rotatable to rest upon said abutment and be detachably secured to said second leg and adapted to form a right triangle with both legs when the goal construction is in use, and rotatable into the internal space of the goal ring when not in use.

a. A basketball goal construction, including in combination a goal ring, a supporting fold-able bracket therefor, said bracket consisting of two members hingedly connected together and dew fining a hinge member having two legs and a brace support, one leg of the hinge member having a cut-out portion at its outer end, a goal ring secured to said leg at its outer end along an are adjacent to said cut-out portion and defining a closed space therewith, the goal ring having a portion of reduced diameter at said cut-out portion, said brace support having one end pivotally mounted on said portion of reduceddiameter, and abutment means on the other leg of the hinge member to support the opposed end of the brace support when it is detachably secured to the said last named leg of the hinge member, said brace support and said legs being adapted to form a right triangle when the goal is in use.

5. The basketball goal construction set forth in claim 2 in which the abutment on one of the hinge legs contacts the other of said hinge legs when the construction is in collapsed condition for storing or shipping.

SAMUEL FOX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

